How to Stay Safe When Shopping for Holiday Gifts Online

Want to avoid long lines and large crowds this holiday season? Shopping online lets you zip through your list with just a few clicks.
Before whipping out your plastic, however, you'll want to make sure you're shopping on a secure site. Use these tips to keep your data safe.

1. Look for the padlock symbol

Don't check out at a website unless you see a padlock symbol on the browser bar of whatever device you're using. This symbol means that the page has extra security to prevent others from viewing your sensitive information.
Another way to tell a website is secure is that it starts with "https" instead of just "http." The "s" means the site is secure.

2. Be cautious around public Wi-Fi

If you need to check your online banking account while you're away from home, avoid public Wi-Fi networks. Many retailers provide free Wi-Fi as a convenience to customers, but you can't be sure who's able to see the data you send on the network — including private information.
Instead, consider using a virtual private network, or VPN, a service that lets you encrypt the information you send over the internet. That way, others won't be able to access your data even if they can access the network. You can also send data over your personal cellular provider's network, which bypasses Wi-Fi.

3. Use a credit card instead of a debit card

Credit cards offer better consumer protections than debit cards do. If someone steals your credit card information and uses it to make unauthorized purchases, you'll be liable for $50 at most, depending on how quickly you report the loss.  If your debit card information is stolen, you could lose all the money linked to your checking account.
If you're unhappy with an item you bought on a credit card — say it was damaged when you received it or it was never delivered — you don't have to pay until the dispute is resolved. But if you're unhappy with a debit card purchase, you'll need to file a dispute with the retailer and possibly your bank to try to recover the money after the fact. That's because debit card purchases automatically withdraw funds from your bank account.

4. Change passwords regularly  

Even if you take steps to shop securely, a hacker could steal your user name, password or other sensitive information from a retailer's database. Protect yourself by changing the passwords of your online accounts every three months or so. That way, if hackers do breach a retailer's software, there's a good chance they'll have access only to an old password.

5. Update anti-virus software

If you shop from a home computer, keep your security software updated. Anti-virus software companies frequently release security updates to address newly discovered security loopholes.
Follow these tips and you can take advantage of the convenience of online shopping while also protecting yourself from online fraud.

© Copyright 2016 NerdWallet, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Safe Shopping Tips:

http://ow.ly/TbfhJ 

• Always get your card back. Make sure you get your credit card, debit card, or driver’s license back after completing your purchase. *Keep your cards in the same place in your wallet all the time so you know when one is missing!

• Save your receipts. Keep the receipt for every gift you purchase and ask for a gift receipt to make any returns or exchanges easy for the recipient.

• Keep credit card info at home. Make a photocopy of the front and back of your cards, or write down account numbers and customer service phone numbers in case they are lost or stolen. Don’t forget to update your records when you get new cards in the mail!

• Watch out for scams. Only buy gift cards from reputable retailers (like HCCU), not online auction sites as they could be counterfeit. 

• Be careful with your cash. If you prefer to pay with cash, don’t flash your cash around. Count your cash discreetly out of sight of others. Keep a couple stashes in your wallet and purse instead of just one, that way it doesn't look like such a big stash to the nosey person behind you in the checkout line. Plus if your wallet disappears only some of your cash is gone and not all of it. 

• Keep your browser updated. Whether you use Internet Explorer, Chrome, or Firefox, updating your browser helps ensure you’re getting the most up-to-date security protection.

• Update your anti-virus software. Before shopping online secure your pc by updating your anti-virus or security software.

• Look for the lock online. Only use secure websites for purchases. Look for the icon of a locked padlock at the bottom of the screen or “https” in the URL address.

EMV Chip Cards vs. Magnetic Strip Cards

Chip Cards

• Insert card & leave until transaction complete.
• Cryptogram.
• Durable.
• It’s difficult to counterfeit, so less risk of fraud.
• It’s accepted worldwide.
• Computer microchip storage and provides a new, unique code with every swipe.

Magnetic Strip Cards

• Swipe card and return it to your wallet.
• Easy to duplicate.
• Mag-strip easily gets scratched.
• Easy to counterfeit and high risk of fraud.
• Less accepted worldwide.
• Magnetic storage and strip does not change.

Post by: Cari J.

How to Keep Calm about Your Finances

Is CALM the first word that pops into your mind when you think about your finances? I think if you’re like most people, that’s not the first word… or the second word or any of the words that come to mind. But that can change! There are actually ways to “keep calm” about your finances. Keeping calm means less stress and less thinking about money. Does this sound like something you want? Here’s how to keep calm about your finances:

Set up automatic transfers: Need to save money, send money to your mom, or pay money on your loan? An automatic transfer makes this super easy. If you are depositing your income into one account and need to regularly move that money elsewhere, set up an automatic transfer. The transfer can be sent to a club subaccount, a loan, or another account entirely. It doesn’t cost a thing, plus it won’t cost you time each month manually moving that money around.

Start online bill pay: No one likes paying bills. And while this solution doesn’t mean you can stop paying them, it does mean you can stop stressing about writing checks, sending cash, and hoping it gets there on time. You can pay bills one time or schedule recurring payments; either way they’re paid automatically. Plus you can see your payment history and pending payments. It’s easy to start it up, and more importantly you’ll feel much calmer about paying bills each month.

Keep your information secure: One of the reasons we feel stressed about money is because of all the issues with keeping our information secure. The possibility of things like stolen identities and debit card fraud is enough to stress anyone out. Keeping your passwords secure and disposing of personal information properly are a couple ways you can be proactive about keeping your info secure. Another big way is to choose a financial institution that takes the necessary steps to protect your information.

Here at HCCU, we want to help you keep calm about your finances. That’s why we offer automatic transfer and online bill pay; and that’s why we take steps every day to keep your personal information as secure as possible. Keep Calm and Credit Union On!

Post by: Noelle C.

Don't Be Fooled-Scams Are On The Rise!

Have you ever sold anything online? If you have, then you know the feelings of excitement that you get when someone offers to purchase your item. Everything seems to be going great! Then, you receive a check in the mail for MORE than what you asked for. You are instructed to send a portion of the money back to them via a specific money sending service. Sounds fishy, right? Well, trust your gut, because you almost got scammed! This is currently the most common scam there is and it is on the rise, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

I know you don't want to be scammed! Here are some tips to keep in mind:

•  If they send you a check for more than the amount you asked and instruct you to send any of that money back, there's a very good chance it’s a scam. You should also never send money through money sending services that you cannot track, especially to someone you don’t know personally!
  
• Just because you deposit a check doesn’t mean it’s a good check. Checks go through a series of steps BEFORE the funds are actually pulled from the third party's account. A financial institution must make funds available to you within a certain time period. Therefore, by the time the financial institution is informed that the check is fraudulent, the funds may have already been spent.
  
• If the check is fraudulent and you have spent the funds, YOU are responsible for the amount withdrawn against that check.

• Don’t accept sad stories from strangers asking for money. Many scammers will tell you they have a sick family member and need money immediately. This is still a scam and unacceptable!

If you ever question the authenticity of a check you receive, bring into your financial institution to verify the check.

The point here is: don’t “cash” any check from someone you are not familiar with, regardless of how nice the person sounds. Follow this link for more information from the Federal Trade Commission on Check Scams.

Written By: Kelly V.

Card Security

We use debit and credit cards for just about everything these days. From paying at the pump for gas, to making purchases at stores, to ordering online, or withdrawing cash at an ATM. With all that convenient access, it is still important to know how to keep your money and your financial data safe! Going back to the days of writing out checks or paying for everything in cash is just not feasible for most of us, but a few easy tips can help you stay protected.

Use Multiple Passwords for Online Accounts: Use a unique password for each of your online accounts, such as online banking, email, Facebook, and retail shopping or payment websites. Using the same password for everything is like using the same key to lock your car, your house, and your office – if a crook gains access to one, they have access to all. Using multiple passwords keeps you better protected.

Always Use Strong Passwords Online: Strong passwords use a combination of letter, numbers and symbols, making them harder to guess. Don’t use obvious passwords like “password” or “123456”, or publicly available information, such as your pet or child’s name, or your zip code or birth date. And always store your passwords securely!

Enroll in Verified by VISA: Verified by Visa is a security piece designed to make buying things over the Internet much more secure. It adds of a member selected password to the online checkout process. Once you've created your own password at www.visa.com/verified you'll be presented with a brief pop up box during online checkout (with participating merchants). You simply enter the password that you selected and boom! Your purchase is complete. The online merchant KNOWS that it's you and you KNOW that your Visa card is more secure.

Be Smart Online: To protect yourself against fraud, never provide personal or financial information such as: Check or Credit Card Numbers, PIN's, Social Security Numbers, or Passwords to unsolicited phone, e-mail, or pop-up website requests. If a webpage you visit seems suspicious, or different than normal, think twice before entering your account information. Be sure to check your account information regularly for possible unauthorized transactions. Be careful when using public Wi-Fi as well. Do not enter passwords or card data over an unsecured, unencrypted connection.

Pay Attention to Card Readers at Stores, Kiosks, and ATM's: Always take a close look at the card reader device before swiping your card or entering your PIN to ensure that it has not been tampered with. Skimming devices are small card readers that fit around the legitimate card reader to capture your card information. These devices are made to look very similar to the normal card reader, as shown below, but they are placed on card terminals by criminals who steal card data then download it from the skimming device.

Left: Skimming Device          Right: No Skimming Device

Top: No Skimming Device    Bottom: Skimming Device

Post by: Erin S.

Credit Life & Disability Insurance

Image courtesy of [num_skyman] at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What are some things you buy each month to treat yourself every so often? Maybe a coffee from the drive on Fridays, a quick burger for lunch with a friend, or even an after work beer. In the moment it may not seem as though these items cost that much, but over time, they sure do add up. So what if we were to skip one or two of these things once each month, what would you put that extra money toward? If I were to tell you that setting aside $1-$15 per month could get you Credit Life & Disability Insurance on a loan would you believe me? WELL YOU CAN! I know once you read the word insurance, your nose instantly turned up, but I promise this is worth reading! We all hope and pray that nothing will happen to us or any of our family members. But the truth is something might, and we need to be as prepared as possible. Let’s pretend your family just purchased a new vehicle and financed it through HCCU, I want to show you what the difference in payment looks like with and without the coverage.

	Without Coverage	With Coverage
Loan Amount	$15,000	$15,000
Interest Rate	3.99%	3.99%
Term	48 Months	48 Months
Monthly Payment	$315.06	$319.78

WAIT! Do you see that??? That’s only a $4.72 dollar difference! Over the life of the loan that only adds up to $226.56! I’m not sure what you’re thinking, but I think that’s SO worth it! I know we don’t like to think about it, but we have to. Make sure you’re prepared for the worst, and add credit life and disability to your loan today!

Post by: Emily P.

Debit or Credit-Which should you choose at the checkout?

So many people carry a debit card (aka check card) these days. They’re so convenient, they’re safer than cash, and the card allows the vendor to take the money right from your checking account. But at the checkout you are often asked Debit or Credit. Which should you choose & what’s the difference?

You might think that since it’s a debit card you have to say debit, but that’s not true. The best option for you is to choose Credit! (Yes, choose credit even though you are using your debit card) The result might seem the same either way, since the money will still be deducted from your checking account, however there is a BIG difference.

Choose Credit and you will be asked to sign for your purchase. Signature transactions are routed through the VISA network, which comes with the additional security offered by credit card companies, fraudulent use protection, and VISA’s Zero Liability Policy.

Just so you know, because we want you to have all the facts before deciding what to do. The credit union does get paid a small amount for each transaction that is routed through as credit, but remember we are a credit union! We don’t give the money we earn to a couple people on our board. Any money we earn is returned to ALL our members by bringing you new products and services, keeping our fees low, our loan & credit card rates low and our deposit rates high.

Choose Debit however, and you will be asked for a 4-digit PIN number. These purchases are processed through an EFT system like STAR or NYCE which don’t provide the additional liability protection offered by VISA.

While it’s great for us to get that little bit of extra income, the real bonus is the added protection choosing Credit offers you. So unless you are going to use the cash back option on your transaction to avoid an ATM fee, choose Credit, and be assured that if sticky fingers get a hold of your card or card number, you will be protected!

Post by: Cari J.

POA & POD - What you should know!

Before I started working at Horizon Community Credit Union, I was employed as a caregiver for seniors. I assisted with daily living needs, but over time I became aware of the type of financial responsibilities seniors have. One of the things that seniors must establish later in life is a financial power of attorney, often called POA’s.

A Power of Attorney for Finances is a person to whom you have granted the right to handle your finances and property. There are a few important things to know about a POA for Finances. First, establishing a financial POA does not mean you relinquish control of your finances and property. You still have the power over your finances and property, but in the case that you cannot act, your financial POA can act for you. Even if you are able to act, your POA can conduct that action for you.  Second, financial POA is durable. This means that, unless you specify otherwise, the POA is still active even if you become incapacitated. Third, you can change your POA at any time. You simply need to revoke the current POA form and complete another one. Lastly, and most importantly, the financial POA has no power over your finances and property after your passing.

There is a form made available by the state of Wisconsin that establishes POA for Finances, and the link for that will be available at the bottom of this post. You need to meet with your lawyer to complete this form. Horizon Community Credit Union requires legal documentation such as the form available thorough the link. I encourage you to look through the form, as there is so much information regarding POA of Finances that I would have to write a short book instead of a blog post.  It is also important to note that this particular POA is for Finances only. If you wish to establish a POA for your healthcare decisions, that is a separate process.

Another term you may hear is POD, which means Payable on Death. In laymen’s terms, anyone you establish as a POD becomes a beneficiary of your account upon your passing. A POD does not have any powers over finances or property.

What I’ve explained only just touches on the subject of POA/POD. If you have legal questions, certainly consult your lawyer. If you have the paperwork required to establish a POA or you have questions about what paperwork the credit union requires to establish a POA, you can stop by the paperwork or call with questions any Horizon Community Credit Union branch during normal business hours. If you would like to set up a beneficiary POD, stop by either of the Horizon Community Credit Union branch during normal business hours. You need to know your POD beneficiary’s information (SSN and the like) or you can bring the person you wish to assign as a POD beneficiary with you.

POA and POD can seem complicated, and sometimes they are. At Horizon Community Credit Union we’re here to help you understand. Though your legal questions should be directed to an attorney, the Member Service Representatives at either Horizon Community Credit Union branch can help clarify any remaining questions.

State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services: Power of Attorney for Finances Form

Post by: Breanna B.

Emergency Savings

What Is An Emergency Fund?

An emergency fund is money that you’ve saved up for the purpose of helping you maintain your normal life through the emergencies that life hands you.

When is it okay to use it?

• When you lose your job
• When an appliance breaks down
• Medical emergency 
• When a car needs repairs

When is it NOT okay to use it?

• Going on a shopping spree
• Buying a new TV
• Going on vacation
• Buying a new car

How to start up an Emergency Fund…

A common mistake made by many who plan to start an emergency fund is that they set their goal too high and often get discouraged when they realize that it will take longer than they expected to reach it.

Set your initial goal low!
Set a goal that you would be able to reach in just a few months rather than a few years. Take into consideration your financial situation and determine how much you can afford to put into your emergency fund each week. Anything is better than nothing at all; the important thing is to get started today!  

Where to save your emergency fund?
After you decide what amount you want to start off with, think about where you want to keep your money. Since it is an emergency fund it would be smart to keep it somewhere where you can get access to it easily. We can help! You can open up a savings account, money market account or short-term certificates here at Horizon Community Credit Union. Any of these accounts will give you easy access to your money, while earning you some interest!

How often should you deposit money into your emergency fund?
When deciding how much to start putting into your savings fund, try to make sure you are able to deposit that amount weekly. For example, $40 a week would get you to $500 in three months! It doesn’t have to be $40 a week though; it can be what you can afford and make sure it challenges you a bit, just not something impossible.

Don’t have the time to stop in every week?
Sometimes life gets a little busy and you may not find the time to be stopping by every week to deposit your weekly addition to your emergency fund. It happens to all of us! Something that Horizon Community Credit Union offers that you could find useful would be reoccurring transfers. When you open up an account you can set a reoccurring transfer to transfer your specific amount every week without you having to worry about stopping in! And when you reach your goal you can choose to stop the reoccurring transfer.  Or if you are feeling ambitious you could set a higher goal and continue putting money into your emergency fund!

How to keep track of your emergency fund?
You can use our online banking and keep track of how much your emergency fund is growing! It’s fast and easy and you can use it on your computer at home or on the go with your phone!

Saving money shouldn’t be as hard as it seems. With the help of the accounts and services Horizon Community Credit Union offers it is convenient, reliable and safe! 

Post by: Karla C.